Moistening cabinet for garments or fabrics



Feb. 28, 1950 J. E. HARTLEY MOISTENING CABINET FOR GARMENTS 0R FABRICS Filed Oct. 7, 1944 Ottoman;

Patented Feb. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT orgies MGI S-TENING CABINET FORi GRRFMENTS (1B5 FABRICS Julia E. Hartley, .Linthicum Heights-,-,Md. Application October '7, 1944, Serial -No. 557,582

11 This invention refers to laundry equipment and more particularly to a device for dampening clothes and articles of fabric'that are to bexironed andalso for adding perfume and disinfectant" in any suitable degree to same. The purpose of the device is to have a structure of relatively simple form adapted to function in several ways for the improvement of clothing and the like, especially in the matter of its appearance. In dampening the fabrics the arrangements provided in this device serves to provide a uniform saturation thereof in an effective and expeditious manner. The device may also be used for disinfecting, fumigating or heating of the clothing in addition to its use of moistening, without changing the structure thereof.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

The usual methods of dampening of clothing is done through the mechanical distribution of water over the clothing, which requires a certain amount of capillary action and the period of time necessary for accomplishing its work. Under the former method, dry spots often existed in the clothing and required the wetting of that individual spot Without soaking the rest of the garment. This was not usually successful. In this invention the moistening is done in a compartment using steam rising from a hot plate that also serves to keep the fabrics warm and more absorbent. In this condition the clothing reacts quickly and efficaciously to the process of ironing when it is taken from the device and ironed.

In order to illustrate this invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the moistener chamber embodying this invention, with ,one of its racks protruding;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 1, with the racks in closed position; and

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken along lines 4-4 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the construction indicated in the drawings, a chamber l of cylindrical form and walls preferably of transparent plastic, metal or other suitable material, serves as an enclosed space in which to hang fabric articles 2 on hangers 3 suspended from the brackets 4 attached to the false top plate 5. A door 6 of ample capacity is provided 2. Claims. (Cl. 68-6) 2. to closeaant opening 'l-cmade for thetinsertion hanging of. the. clothing 2;.

The top plate 8 isispaxzed.:suflicientlyi from the false top. plate and allow sliding. gratingsh'elves: 1- to slide in and: out on either side of thechanr ber for handling the clothing ancillary to their insertion in or taking from the inside of the chamber. A central conduit ll extends perpendicularly through the chamber for supplying water I2 to the spider spray distributor [3. The discharge of the water is controlled through a valve M. The distributor has a series of orifices l5 for allowing water to drop through onto a hot plate [6. This hot plate is mounted on the bottom member I! of the chamber and is preferably heated by electricity through the conductor l8. Legs l9 are used to keep the chamber off the floor.

The hot plate is kept heated enough to immediately vaporize the water as same drops thereon and cause the vapor 22 to fill the chamber with heated moisture. This vapor fills the chamber and also permeates the fabrics of the articles 2 hung therein. The distributor I3 is preferably of star form as shown in Figure 4. In order to produce a perfumed effect, the conduit 1 I is supplied with a connection 20 through which perfumed liquid N is forced so it can mix with the water flowing and dropping to the hot plate from the distributor. This prevents excessive use of the perfume and reduces the amount required, over that, which would be required if it were introduced into the casing, Without vaporizing. Various types of disinfectants may be used instead of the perfume, if desired.

When the clothing is sufficiently saturated with moisture, the door 6 is opened and the clothing taken out and hung on the shelves I0, ready for ironing etc. If the clothing is too wet, the door 6 is opened for a period of time, the water shut off, and the heat kept on the hot plate, until the excess moisture passes out of the chamber to the atmosphere outside.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form or in any other way otherwise than limited by the scope thereof, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims:

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A moistening cabinet for garments or fabrics comprising a lateral cylindrical wall and top and bottom closures, conduit means for liquids carried by the top closure and extending within the cabinet and terminating in proximity to the bottom closure, a spider element carried at the lower end and in flow communication with said conduit means, said element having a series of downwardly facing openings, a heating plate carried by the bottom closure in proximity to said openings, means for heating said plate, and means for suspending garments or fabrics within the cabinet.

2. A mOiStSllil'lg cabinet for garments or fabrics comprising a lateral cylindrical wall and top and bottom closures, conduit means for liquids carried by the top closure and extending within the cabinet and terminating in proximity to the bottom closure, a spider element having a plurality of arms carried at the lower end and in flow communication with said conduit means,

said arm's having a series of downwardly facing openings, a valve to control the liquid flow between said conduit means and said spider arms, means for controlling said valve outside of the cabinet, a heating plate carried by the bottom 4 closure adjacent the aforesaid openings, means for heating said plate, and means for suspendin garments or fabrics within the cabinet.

JULIA E. HARTLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,081,463 Pentz Dec. 16, 1913 1,223,490 Hollis Apr. 24, 1917 1,618,726 Ramsburg Feb. 22, 1927 1,677,553 Dissett July 17, 1928 1,763,193 Shields June 10, 1930 1,941,087 Hejduk et a1 Dec. 26, 1933 1,975,779 Church Oct. 9, 1934 2,039,892 Dowinsky Ma 5, 1936 2,047,973 Lawton et al July 21, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 441,576 Germany 1927 

